Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Here are my thoughts on Matthew 10.

Summary: In this passage, Jesus commissions His twelve disciples – giving them the right to cast out demons and heal the sick.

These twelve disciples include:

• Peter (the foremost in rank) and his brother, Andrew
• James (a son of Zebedee) and his brother, John
• Philip and Nathanael
• Matthew (formerly a tax collector) and Thomas
• James (a son of Alphaeus), Judas (a son of James), and Simon (full of zeal)
• Judas (from the town of Kerioth).

He states that their mission is to preach to the Jews that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They should trust that God will meet their needs, and they should focus on those who are open to their message – while rejecting everyone else.

He then asserts that people will persecute them – since they oppose Him. Thus, they should choose their words wisely while treating their persecutors with humility and gentleness. They should also trust that God will sustain them in the midst of their persecution.

He exhorts them to fear God and preach boldly – since He determines the destiny of their souls. Indeed, their loyalty to Him – or lack thereof – will be revealed on the day of judgment. If they are loyal to Him, then they – and those who are open to their message – will be rewarded, even if their loyalty leads to death.

Thoughts: In verse 15, we see that Jesus asserts that those who hear the Gospel message and reject it will be punished more severely than those who never heard it. Ryle offers some thoughts on this point:

It will not save us to have lived in the full sunshine of Christian privileges, and to have heard the Gospel faithfully preached every week. We must experience acquaintance with Christ; we must receive his truth personally; we must be united with him in life; we must become his servants and disciples.

Given Ryle’s thoughts, one might ask: what does it mean to “experience acquaintance with Christ?” My thought is that as we continue to serve Him with our gifts and abilities, we will come to a deeper understanding of Him (and ourselves). Indeed, I have found that serving Him reveals my weaknesses and faults; for example, I often judge those whom I serve, and that judgmental attitude is occasionally revealed in my words and deeds. Also, I often fall short of the standards that I have set for myself, which can be frustrating. Yet I continue to serve, knowing that God will work through me to bless others; He will also enable me to (painfully) draw closer to Him in the process.

In verse 16, we see that Jesus calls His disciples to display wisdom. Ryle offers some thoughts on this point:

In this, however, as in every other respect, our Lord Jesus Christ himself is our most perfect example: no one was ever so faithful as he, but no one was ever so truly wise. Let us make him our pattern and walk in his steps.

Indeed, Jesus faced many challenges during His ministry; for example, He had to strike a perfect balance between 1) performing miracles and 2) keeping news of them from spreading (as that could have fueled premature attempts on the part of the Jews to proclaim Him as their political Messiah). We also see that He treated those in need with humility and gentleness – while treating His opponents harshly. As believers in a complex world, we need wisdom and strength from Him to advance His kingdom; properly chosen words and deeds are valuable instruments in that regard.

In verses 35-37, we see that Jesus states that His disciples may need to sever family ties in order to follow Him. I must admit that I am relatively fortunate in this regard, as I was raised in a Christian home. Thus, I greatly respect any believer who was not raised in a Christian home – especially if their family opposed their decision to place their trust in Christ. I cannot fathom the notion of being persecuted by one’s own family; since I tend to attempt to please others and minimize conflicts, I wonder if I would have followed Christ if I had been raised by unbelieving parents. Perhaps we should continue to pray for believers who are being persecuted by their families; we should ask God to grant them the wisdom and strength that they need to stand firm in their faith and bless their relatives – in the midst of their pain and frustration.